Smith Specials

My dear friends and family. I don't have words to express the overwhelming generosity, kindness, love, messages, texts, and prayers. We are so very thankful that you have chosen to join us as we walk through this valley. It is dark and it is ugly. (John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it) . Your prayers are sustaining us as sometimes our words fail us. Thank you for getting in the muck with us and for lifting us up with your prayers. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for loving Ezra. We are thankful for every single moment we had with him in the 467 days we got to love him here on Earth.

Love you E. Love you so so much.

Thankful for your promises Jesus and holding you to it.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

John 14:27

Matthew 11:28-29

I've been wanting to get back to posting....Maybe this one will help!

Warning!! This post is a jumbled mess. It is not in any type of order at all but I'm totally cool with that. Really just wanted to get down some of my favorite things about Izzy. I am sure I forgot many...but it's a start!!

(This is the face you get when you say cheese! Hilarious and not exactly what I was looking for!)

I am starting this August 7th in hopes that I will complete this post by his actual birthday September 8th! :) (that did not happen! It is Sept 11th now!)

(He calls sunglasses "eyes" :) Here he has on Daddy's eyes!)

(Kids on the train and Six Flags and Izzy before his summer hair cut :))

Israel is such a blessing to our family! He definitely has raised the boy factor in our house. He instinctively wrestles, tackles, shoots things, jumps, climbs,throws, sprints, pounds, and hits things randomly just to see how that goes! You have to be aware of him at all times....and I mean ALL times :)

("Pture Mommy?? Pture Mommy??" Here's the pose I get! :) )

(Walking in to get his hair cut...the lady looked at me like I was crazy when I told her I wanted it short! We live in Texas people and it is HOT!)

(Looking at the "ish" at Bass Pro....boy loves his animals too!)

Things I want to remember:

(Boys...they play hard and they sleep hard too! I love that he goes STRAIGHT to sleep for naptime and bedtime. Because he is ready to play the MINUTE he wakes up!)

He also asks us this random question daily...have NO idea where he got it from! "Mommy you going to row da boat?" and I say "No" Then he asks Sadie, Hannah, Daddy, Izzy.....and we all say no. He laughs everytime :)

He tells us when he is "poopy and peepee" though they sound alot alike :)

He thinks being stinky is hilarious! "I'm stinky Mommy" Izzy stinky hahahaha!

He finds ways around obstacles....finds alternate solutions! He's a go getter....especially about climbing and getting what he wants!

(Saying cheese in his hat :) )

He ADORES hats! I mean seriously. The first thing to go on in the morning and the last thing to go off at night. Never met a small child with hat hair before...only Izzy!

(A hat and an IPad....Izzy found where it was charging and made a way for himself and the IPad :) See..he's clever! )

He gives the best hugs...wraps his arms around your neck and squeezes! So special. And most of the time a dry kiss!

He had 16 teeth at 16 months. Has all 20 now :)

Special night time diapers are a must for this boy. I am so thankful not to have to change his sheets EVERY morning after he has peed out of his diaper anymore!

He talks in complete sentences. He says things over and over and over till you either A. acknowledge and respond or B. translate,guess, laugh or whatever it takes to get him on another train of thought! We affectionately call him Rainman :)

"I got this Mommy!"

Izzy help Izzy help! (especially when unloading the van. He always wants to help. :) )

I wove you Mommy

If you say, "I love you Izzy" he will respond with " I love you too!!!" He screams it to you! :)

When he wants to get someone's attention he will pretend to whistle and say "Come" over and over!

(Izzy and Mamere...they are tight!)

He calls everyone by name (Mommy, Daddy, Hannah (hammah), Sadie, Grandmere (mamere), Liz (diz), Kiley (KiKi), Bailey (bobo), Kason, Bekah, Daniel, Papa, Sugar (suuger) )

(On the Houston Zoo Train...have I mentioned his love for all things transportation?? Geez! I love this boy! )

He is really good about saying "Please, Mommy" and "Thank you Mommy" the boy learned fast what behaviors are rewarded around these parts :)

Little man loves all things transportation....ALL of them! I feel like the number of transportation vehicles in our house increases daily, but I love that he plays with all of them...and I mean All of them! I am really appreciating the differences between him and the girls! There are so many differences and I am so thankful God wove him together exactly as he did!

(I mean seriously! How cute is that?? )

Israel calls any figurine that is a male (superhero, Hulk, Army men, transformer...) Daddy! It is sooo cute and funny to listen to him. On his birthday he was walking around with one of the figurines saying "Happy Day Daddy! Happy day!" (Since we had been telling him happy birthday all day....he just shortened it :) )

This Spring he had a bout with hand, foot and mouth disease.....it is disgusting for the Mommy! So much drooling....like whole shirt wet drooling....like must change shirt multiple times a day. One day he discovered that he could spit puddles of spit on the floor. He did it, looked at it and started cracking up! Definitely a boy. Mommy is thrilled that once the drool subsided so did the puddles of spit!

(Just a boy throwing some rocks....all day everyday.)

Some of Izzy's favorite things:

Hat, shoes, pouches, outside,books, dirt, cars, trucks, choo-choos, airpanes (airplanes), apples, bananas, WATERMELON, milk (almond), balls,books, balls, cleaned of couches (minus all pillows he will gladly throw them to the floor for you), Daddy, Sadie, Hammah, his paci, baths, puppy, puzzles, froggy, Mommy's pone (phone), & singing songs.